Positioned electrode



May 22, 1923.

w. w. STRONG .POSITIONED ELECTRODE I Filed'Nov. 23, 1918 'III/Illllllllil IIIIIIII'III'III d a Patented May 22, 192 3.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. STRONG, OF MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR'TO RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A C'ORPORATION'OF NEW YORK.

POSITIONED ELECTRODE.

Application filed November'23, 1918. Serial No. 263,944.

therein is usually derived from the second-- ary of'a step-up transformer and converted by well known rectifying devices into a 11I11- directional pulsating current. The dielectric distance between the electrodes is such that at the maximum potential difference at the peakof the undulations disruptive discharge is just avoided in the normal opera tion of the apparatus. The stress produced at a voltage just below the critical point or that point at which-disruptive discharge occurs is principally effective and is principally relied upon for the removal of the suspended particles from the gas streams It is r apparent thatthe greater part ofthf wave or undulation is of little value, because the potential differences are far below this critical point and cannot produce that degree of ionization which is essential to the success- 'ful treatment of gases.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide apparatus by which practically the whole wave of the a ternating or pulsating current may be utilized for the purpose for which'it is designed.

Another object is to provide mechanism for subjecting suspended particles simultaneously to mechanical forces and electrical forces in well co-ordinated cooperative relationship to moreefi'ectively separate the par- 45 ticls from'the gas stream.

A further objectis to provide means for increasing the draft in a flue or gas passage. Other objects and advantages will .be pointed out in the description and the char- .50 acteristic features of what I consider as my invention will be more particularlydefined in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the invention and its significance reference is had to the appended drawings in which way in fixed position.

Figure 1 is a section taken along line 1-1 of Figure 2 and showing an apparatus embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along line 2-2 in Figure 1. i

In the drawings 1 represents generally the casing of a closed treater chamber having the gas inlet 2 and the outlet 3. A shaft or post 4 is supported in fixed position centrally of the treater chamber, the lower end resting in a bearing 5 .on the bottom wall 1 of the casing and the upper end held by anarm 6 extending from a suitable support 7 through the inlet flue 2.

On the shaft 4 near the upper and lower ends thereof are formed curved bearing rings 8 and 9 respectively. As indicated the ring 8 is secured through, an insulator ring 10 to an extension 2 of ,inlet flue 2 which is in turn secured through a spider 11'to the shaft 4. It isunderstood that this specific form of connection isv resorted to merely to make a rigid bearing structure. The ring 8 may be directlyattached tothe shaft 4 and the extension 2 dispensed with or the spider may be omitted if other provisions are made to strengthen the depending portion 2. There is of course considerable latitude in the selection of means for forming a rigid support for the bearing 8. The ring 9 is secured through an insulator .ring 12 to the lower end of shaft 4.

Bearings 8 and 9 have the purpose of revolubly supporting a frame composed of an upper frame member 13 and a lower frame member 14 between which are secured radially directed blades 15. For the. sake of simplicity the frame members 13and 14 are represented as having -curved bearing rings 13 and14' respectively. In practice I contemplate the use of ball bearings or other antifriction devices well known in the art. The lower frame member 14 is provided with a bevel gear 16 which is engaged by a bevel gear 16 mounted on a shaft 17. Shaft 17 is connected by an insulator coupling 18 to shaft 19 driven by motor 20. The free end of shaft 17 may be supported in a bear- 111g 21 carried by an arm 22 depending from the bearlng ring 9 or mounted-in any other The radial blades 15 are discharge electrodes having their discharge edges 15 di: rected toward a collecting or receiving electrode 23 which is principally identified with the present invention. As is clearly shown in Fig. 1, the receiving electrode consists of a number of curved surfaces-24 and 25 interconnected by webs 25 of small curvature. The number of curved surfaces 24 or 25 is the same as the number of the blades 15. The curvature of the surfaces 24 is slightly greater than the curvature of the surfaces 25 for a reason to be subsequently explained. l

Current is passed to the discharge electrode structure by means of a brush 26 bearing on the outer surface of the upper frame member 13. The conductor 27 passing through the upper part of the casing 1 is insulated therefrom by an insulator bushing 28.

The insulator rings 10 and 12, insulator coupling v18 and bushing 28 are protected against dust by transverse flanges 29 and 29' at the upper end of the treater chamber and flanges 30 and 30 near the lower end thereof. Flanges 29 and 30 extend inwardly from the casing 1, while flanges 29 and .30 extend outwardly from the shaft 4, de-

' fining between them annular spaces through which the upper. and lower frame members 13 3116.14: respectively pass and revolve.

Adjacent the upper end of casing 1 is a pipe 34 having a plurality of openings in communication with the inner walls of cas ing 1. This pipe may be connected with a suitable supply of water or other liquid to 'form a liquid film on the inner surface of casing 1. Near the lower end of the casing is formed a trough 35 to receive and lead away the liquid through an outlet 36.

The operation is as follows:

The discharge electrode system is revolved by the synchronous motor 20 and charged by conductor 27 coming from a high tension source of alternating current (not shown). The motor 20 is fed from the same source and the connection is such that during one cycle of the alternating current the blades 15 turn through an angle which is equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of blades or from a point on one of the surfaces 24 or 25 to the corresponding point on the like surface next following. The con- .nection is furthermore made so that at the time of maximum potential a blade 15 is opposite the center of one of the curved surpositive and opposite the surface 25 when the charge is negative. The collecting electrode is curved so that the distance from the edge of the discharge electrode 15 to the nearest point of the receiving electrode is at each instant slightly less than that at which sparkover would occur. When the potential is near zero and during the reversal of polarity the blades 15 pass opposite the connecting webs 25'.

By this arrangement it is evidently possible to automatically regulate the dielectric or interelectrode distance to correspond at each instant to the potential difference between the electrodes and thereby set up a substantially uniform dielectric stress. The utilization of substantially the whole wave is thus practically carried out and without the use of a rectifier.

The blade structure acts like a fan which may be rotated at a comparatively low rate of speed, depending on the number of curved surfaces and the number of fan blades used. During the period of one cycle the electrode blades must pass two curved surfaces, a surface 24 and a surface 25. Assuming a frequency of cycles, the blade structure as illustrated must make a complete revolution once every ten cycles or in other words the fan will be required to rotate at 10 R. P. S. which is 600R. P. M. If a slower rate of speed is desirable, it may be obtained by changing the number of blades and curved surfaces.

By the fan action of the blade structure the suspended particles are subjected to a centrifugal action tending to throw them outwardly against the receiving electrode while they are at the same time subjected to electric action projecting them in the same direction. The process of separation is thereby facilitated and the treater has a correspondingly greater capacity of doing work than the ordinary treater.

The fan action is simultaneously instrumental in increasing the rate of flow of the gases and thereby automatically furnishes the means for passing greater volumes of gases through the treater, per unit of time, to take advantage of the increased capacity.

In the foregoing the construction and operation has been described on the assumption that the wave is approximately a sine curve and that there is no appreciable in ductive reactance or capacity reactance. It should be borne in mind, however, that due to the capacity and inductance of the treater itself, the wave of impressed voltage may be somewhat modified as to shape. The

shape of the curved electrode may be suitably modified to suit the particular conditions.

In the form disclosed the receiving electrode is shown as a screen electrode. The particles propelled toward it pass through the meshes of the screenand strike against the wall of the casing and are carried down by the liquid 'film formed on it by the distributing pipe 34.. The liquid containing the precipitated particles is collected in .trough 35 and drawn ofi in any convenient manner. v

For carrying out the invention in its broader scope the screen electrode is of course not necessary. Any other electrode curved in the manner described may be used. In fact, the structure disclosed may be varied in many ways within the scope of the idea of means on which it is Based.

While the invention is principally identified, as above stated, with the use of alternating current, it is obviously applicable'in connection with oscillating or pulsating current. In that case the surfaces 24 and 25 may have the same curvature. The invention may even be practiced in connection withdirect current. Although some of the characteristic features pointed out would not be present, a device modified for the use of direct current would retain some of the material advantages referred to.

It should also be understood that I need not carry out all of the objects at the same time or embody all the details shown in one' apparatus.

For instance, in order to com-' bine' mechanical forces for separating particles from a gas stream with electrical forces derived from direct current, an ap-" paratus constructed for such purpose may be considerably modified and the mechanical and electrical means may be, brought into cooperative relationship in various ways. 9

I claim-:.

1. Apparatus for the separation of suspended particles from gases, comprising means defining a passage for the gas, electrical means operative .to force particles suspended in the gas across the gas stream toward the walls of the passage and movable mechanical means operative to force the said particles in the same direction' i 2. Apparatus for the separation of suspended particles from gases, comprising means defining a passage for the gas, movable means in the said passage operative to direct the gas towardthe walls thereof and electrical means for charging the gas so di- .rected to force the particles suspended in" the gas against the walls of the passage.

3. Apparatus for the separation of suspended particles from gases, comprising a receiving electrode defining a gas passage, a discharge electrode operative to force particlessuspended in the gas across the gas stream toward the receiving electrode and movable mechanical means connected with the discharge electrode operative to force the said particles in the same direction.

4. Apparatus for the separation of suspended particles from gases, comprising a receiving electrode defining a gas passage,

movable means in the gas passage operative.

ticles suspended in the gas against the receiving electrode.

6. The combination of electrodes and a source of alternating current connected thereto and means whereby the electrodes are at all times so positioned that the interelectrode distance is proportional to the potential difference existing between the electrodes.

7. The combination of electrodes. so

formed as to induce a discharge .from one to the otherand a source of'alternatingcurrent connected thereto and means whereby the electrodes are at all times so positioned that the inter-electrode distance is proportional to the potential difference existing between the electrodes.

8. The'combinationof electrodes so form-- ed as to induce a charge from one to the other and a source of alternating current, one of the electrodes being movable relatively to the other and one of the electrodes being so constructed and arranged that during such relative movement the inter-electrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the electrodes.

9. The combination of a receiving electrode defining a gas passage and a discharge electrode having rotatory movement in the said passage, the surface of the receiving electrode being so formed relatively to the rate of movement of the discharge electrode that the interelectrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the electrodes. K

10. The combination of a receiving electrode defining a gas passage and a plurality of discharge electrodes angularly spaced in said passage, means whereby the discharge electrodes may be rotated as a unit, the surface of the receiving electrode being so formed relatively to the rate. of movement of the discharge electrode that the interelectrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the elec-.

trodes.

11. The combination of a receiving electrode having a wave-like surface defining alternating crests and depressions, a discharge electrode mounted for movement past the said surface, the form of the crests and depressions and the rate of movement of the discharge-electrode being such that theeffective interelectrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the electrodes.

12. The combination of a generally cylinder-shaped receiving electrode having a wave-like surface defining alternating crests and depressions, a plurality of angularly spaced discharge electrodes having rotating movement within the receiving electrode, the form of the crests and depressions and the rate of movement of the discharge electrode being such that the effective interelectrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the electrodes.

13. The combination of a generally cylinder-shaped receiving electrode having a wave-like surface defining alternating crests and depressions, a fan mechanism having a plurality of radially extending blades constituting discharge electrodes, the form of the crests and depressions and the rate of turning motion of the fan being such that the effective interelectrode distance is at all.

discharge electrodes, means for supporting and driving the fan mechanism electrically insulated from the. chamber and the receiv ing electrode, the form of the crests and depressions of the receiving electrode and the rate ofturning movement of thefan mechanism being such that the interelectrode distance is at all times proportional to the potential difference between the electrodes.

15. The combination of electrodes and a source of electricity connected thereto having a periodically varying voltage and means for periodically varying the relative position of the electrodes to maintain a substantially uniform dielectric gradient therebetween.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature. M

WILLIAM ,W. STRONG. 

